Theatre

The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), under the Artistic Direction of Diane Paulus, is pleased to announce further details of its 2010/11 Season, beginning on August 31 with Cabaret, followed by Alice vs. Wonderland, The Blue Flower, R. Buckminster Fuller – The History (and mystery) of the Universe, Ajax, Prometheus Bound, and Death and the Powers: The Robots’ Opera.

Recovering alcoholics, who isn't, are advised not to see Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance, at Berkshire Theatre Festival which will surely induce budding. If you do see this play it will take dozens of AA meetings and months of therapy to recover from the grim experience. By no stretch is this an entertaining and enjoyable evening of theatre. Unless you are a masochist with a taste for the enervating.

The inaugural season of world-class international theatre programming by ArtsEmerson: The World on Stage kicks off with the Boston debut of The New York-based Tectonic Theater Project, performing two works: The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later, by Moisés Kaufman, Leigh Fondakowski, Greg Pierotti, Andy Paris and Stephen Belber.

Now that she has stepped down as founding artistic director of Shakespeare & Company Tina Packer is finally able to focus on her own career as an actress. She has brought to fruition a project that has absorbed her for decades. Over three days she presented five acts totaling some 15 hours on stage with her partner Nigel Gore.

The grim theme of Alzheimer's disease and its devastating impact on an estranged Jewish mother and her daughter moved back home is an unlikely inspiration for a musical. No less. This new work by the young team of Sara Cooper and Zach Redler tries really hard to please and entertain. It is their first fully staged affort.

Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield exits laughing with its final Main Stage production a British Comedy Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn. This past season his Norman Conquests was revived on Broadway leading to more regional productions of his plays. If you need a few laughs check out this zesty madcap farce.

With two men kissing on Broadway in Lanford Wilson's 1978 play Fifth of July it caused a buzz and sold tickets. In the current Williamstown Theatre Festival production this evokes little beyond an apathetic, ho hum response. It was challenging to care about this play and its over played, outrageous, self absorbed and often obnoxious characters. There were however some finely drawn, tender and endearing moments midst all the screaming and bathos.

There is a Shakespeare marathon in the Berkshires with concurrent productions at three of the four major theatre companies. The generalist Berkshire Theatre Festival has joined the race with quick and lively Macbeth. It stars C.J. Wilson and Keira Naughton as Lady Macbeth. There are lots of blood and guts on stage in Stockbridge.

In the intimate Nikos Stage of the Williamstown Theatre Festival the smash hit The Last Goodbye is the hottest and toughest ticket of the summer. It combines the cult rock of the late Jeff Buckley with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Forget West Side Story. That was then and this is now. This is the best new musical and best Romeo and Juliet I have ever seen. Trust me.